Too much for one post

... but I'm going to jam it in here anyway. It turns out that my looming-est deadline has been shifted and the pressure lifted a bit. (Whew!) I'm going to do more primary research before submitting my thesis proposal. Instead of writing madly for the next couple of weeks, then, I get to do one of my favourite things: spending time with moldy old newspapers. (I know -- sounds awesome, right?) First, I need to blog a bunch of stuff I've been wanting to tell you about for the last little while.

1. I was in Ontario last week at a conference. For me, one of the thrills of going to Ontario is going to Michaels craft stores! (Yes, really.) I wanted to pick up some Lion Brand Wool-Ease for an inexpensive sweater project -- and I went to Michaels in three different towns and couldn't find Wool-Ease! They all had the Thick & Quick version, but no worsted weight could be found. Has it been discontinued or something? Where in the world is the Wool-Ease?

1. b) At the Michaels in Belleville, Patons SWS was on sale for $2 a ball! I bought 16 balls of Soy Wool Solids (= 1600 m) in the colour "natural berry," to make some kind of cabled cardigan (even though I suspect cabling will be ... challenging, as this is a barely twisted single-ply yarn).

2. I bought a PedEgg, and it is awesome. I may love it a little too much. I want to grate the skin off my calloused heels all the time.

3. The book Knitting Noro by Jane Ellison is a good one. There are lots of good, basic patterns for cardigans, pullovers, and jackets that could be knit in all kinds of yarns. (I have my eye on the Turtleneck Tank [at right], for a bunch of grey alpaca-wool I have in my stash.) I'm thinking that (someday) I'll probably frog my ill-fitting Dolman Updated sweater to reuse the Kureyon in a pattern from this book, because I do love that yarn and that particular colourway.

4. Back to that conference in Ontario -- my M.A. supervisor was there. You may recall that I knit him a pair of socks once I'd defended my thesis. He loved those socks. He thanked me over and over; in e-mails months later he would mention them. A dream recipient of a handknit gift. Anyway, I spent time with him at the conference last week, and at the end of the first day we were standing around having a glass of wine and talking about what we'd been up to lately, and I mentioned Rhinebeck, and he started reaching around in his bag and talking about the socks I'd made him. Actually, he said, "I have some bad news." It turns out that he'd lost one of his socks six months ago, so he had brought me the surviving sock and asked if I would please knit him one new sock. He said, "I'm only asking you to do this because I really love those socks." Obviously, I'm going to knit him one new sock.

5. The new issue of Twist Collective? Be still, my heart. I simply must knit Norah Gaughan's Kingscot cardigan, and I'm also swooning over Kate's Sweet Pea Coat and the Postwar Mittens. And the design of the "Critter Comforts" feature is brilliant.

6. The forthcoming issue of Interweave Knits? It looks pretty good. I quite like the Manchester Jacket, the Ropes and Picots Cardigan, and the Dainty Pinstripes Pullover. I'm looking forward to having the hard copy in my hands to look at the patterns.

7. I recently picked up the book Crochet Me, mostly because I had to try to make the Icelandic Turtleneck pullover right now.


This project is simple enough for me and my minimal crochet skills. The FDC row was a bit tricky, but I eventually got the hang of it (I think). I don't want this top to be tight or clingy; I want to be able to layer it easily over a long-sleeved T-shirt. My actual bust measurement is 37 inches; the pattern has instructions for 38 inches and 41 inches. I chose to do the 41-inch size, but now I'm wondering if there will just be too much excess fabric with four inches of positive ease. (Any thoughts?) The yarn I'm using is inexpensive Jojoland fingering-weight wool, in a shade of dark blue that I only like (not love), so it's perfect for this highly experimental project (i.e., if my Icelandic top turns out to be very, very bad, it's OK). Crocheting is fun, but unlike knitting, I have to watch what I'm doing with every stitch. I can watch TV, but not a movie with subtitles.

8. I went to see Passchendaele, and I quite liked it. The reviews have been a bit meh, but I suspect a lot of those reviews were written by dudes who don't want women or romance in their war movies. The battle scenes were truly stunning. My only issue with the film was Paul Gross's casting of himself. I hesitate to even say it, because Gross is ridiculously handsome and I was very happy to look at his face for two hours, but his character is supposed to be in his mid-thirties, and Gross himself is ... no longer in his thirties. (Dead sexy, though.)

OK, enough. I have some work to do today, plus I have to get stuff ready for a research trip to Toronto tomorrow. Have a nice weekend! It's rainy and grey here -- perfect knitting weather.